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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: General » ARG: Legend of the Sacred Urns
Is the Puzzle really over?
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TheDom
Boot


Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 15

 		Is the Puzzle really over?
Just a quick synopsis of what I am thinking. If anyone is interested then a will prepare a more detailed posting of my thoughts.

The solution as it stands to a number of the puzzlers does not appear to be up to the level of a Hoffman puzzle. Too many of the clues/hints were not used. Therefore, maybe we should look at the puzzle again. Is it a 2 part puzzle. A treasure hunt and a complete puzzle.

Why the treasure hunt? To create interest etc in the puzzle and provide promotion for Sharp within a limited time frame.

Why a separate or complete puzzle? For the real puzzlers to solve.

I think we need to look at who wrote what pieces of the puzzle and who had direct involvement with Paul Hoffman.

From the chat, the puzzle was being translated into 9 languages with Europe, Japan and China commencing later than the US. The treasure hunt only being in the US (for US residents only). Are the European, Japanese and Chinese campaigns still going?

Why the delay in posting the answer (other than Charlie not being well)? Did one of us actually find a solution to the puzzle and not just the treasure hunt? Did this create a problem for the creators of the puzzle?

If anyone is really interested in following this line of thought, please indicate your interest in this thread and I will prepare a more detailed posting. As I said, these are my thoughts and my thoughts only, but I do believe that it is not beyond Paul Hoffman in taking this approach.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 6:49 pm
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RobDixon
Boot


Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 41
Location: San Rafael, California

 		TheDom,

I've had a few theories about a larger "meta-puzzle" too. I'd be interested in hearing yours.

I suppose it's possible that Hoffman had a different final solution to the main puzzle in mind, and for reasons of timing or legality the puzzlemasters didn't use it. It's also posible that Hoffman had a larger solution that he never shared -- as a joke or something.

Of course, there is a problem: what's our motivation to figure it out, if indeed there is a larger puzzle to solve still?

Maybe this will lead to a Publius Enigma (http://www.publiusenigma.com) situation, where a bunch of puzzlers continue on for years, certain the real solution is yet to be found. The Steinitz Underground lives! Smile

PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 5:13 am
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TheDom
Boot


Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 15
RobDixon wrote:
Of course, there is a problem: what's our motivation to figure it out, if indeed there is a larger puzzle to solve still?


Rob

That is something I think about too, but then I start to think about the start of the Steinitz Puzzle. We had no idea if it was real or not, we had no idea if there were any prizes involved nor a start or completion date. Things evolved as we went forward.

Most of us agree that the Leeds solution was "unhoffmanesque" (love that word) and that is what makes me think there is far more to it. Look at how many clues were left on the table (from what I understand, not Paul Hoffman's style), including one from the "strategy" hint which was very late in the game.

I can see at least 2 "backdoors" out of the Leeds site. I do not think they were put there by accident.

Right now I wonder:
    Where do we go to from here?
    How do we know when we have the correct answer?
    Are we even wasting our time?


These questions right now I do not have the answer to other than to say these same questions existed at the start of the Steinitz Puzzle.

Yes I know we had better direction etc with MPN, Charlie, Marlene, MSM, NDN etc but do you think Hoffman would make it easy for us. If what I am thinking is right then we have to find the path.

Sorry to be rambling here but I am just putting to paper (so to speak) some of my thoughts.

Finally, just out of a matter of pride, I would just like to be able to say at some stage that we have truly solved the puzzle (prize or no prize).

PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 5:54 am
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TheDom
Boot


Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 15

 		I have had a busy day today so I have not had a chance to jot down my thoughts.

I did say earlier that I could see other exits out of the Leeds (rlebron) site.

I am going to list one now just to see your thoughts.

Quote:
My life-long interest in science and mathematics has led me to look at the rhythms of nature, including fractals and chaos theory. Chaos theory explores the mathematical models behind phenomena once considered random, such as the way bubbles form and travel.

I have been using water as a metaphor for culture: it is a transparent medium in which we move with little effort, but which is full of reflections and distortions that shape our view of the world around us. The works are anchored in evocative reflections and distortions of elements that are only partially visible; cropped, reflected in and distorted by the water. The water itself provides a context in which I can explore more formal elements of form and color. Thus I create a certain tension between the abstract and representational elements. Rather than seeking a faithful depiction of water, I use water as a jumping off point, as a melody upon which I then improvise.
Roberto Lebron

Quote:
Supposed to be a whirlpool in the room. If there's time, Natalie and I could drip paint randomly in the water. Watch the patterns unfurl. Maybe I'll take some photos of her in the tub. I could record her vocal responses against the sound of the churning water. Hook up the laptop and measure the differing sound waves as they correspond to the pigment in the water.
MIKE

A co-incidence?

Roberto Lebron studied in the South of France, exibitions in Rochester NY etc

Definitely one "exit" that may warrant further investigation.

P.S. Remember if it is not a red herring (strategy clue not used) then what is it, a picture of a red herring.

The Steinitz Underground lives!

PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 1:50 am
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TheDom
Boot


Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 15

 		Rob

I keep thinking about this and the more I think (other than straining the brain Surprised ) the more it seems to me that there is a larger puzzle.

On the question of how do we know if we have the right answer etc, it may be possible that we were on the right track here. I believe that the sound wave numbers were not just random numbers and if this is the case we may just find a web site that belongs to Paul Hoffman.

In addition to the exit from the Leeds (rlebron) site that I detailed above there is another exit. If you follow this link to the Kogi Tribe you will see what I mean (when you get to about half way down the page follow the link to Drunvalo Melchizedek and read that as well). Sound familiar?

If you remember my answer to the puzzle you will remember that it takes us to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains.

At this stage, I am not saying this is the right answer but it is a step further on than the Leeds site.

The Steinitz Underground lives!

PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 3:35 am
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RobDixon
Boot


Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 41
Location: San Rafael, California

 		TheDom,

There really should be a larger puzzle here. Like you I can see a few added directions the rlebron blog could take us to.

When I have time I'll tell you more about my investigation into Mohican Indian Caves (Try one!) By the way, a number of those caves exist in New York, Pennsylvania and...Ohio.

As you might recall I also had a theory about going back to basics and reviewing all the Steinitz-sourced clues in a new light.

The question is, what are the chances that any of this will lead to a new site, with some kind of combination on it (which is one thing the rlebron site could have used, IMO)?

There is one reason why the rlebron site might have been intentionally made inconclusive though: so they could keep people guessing and keep the game alive until Dec. 31st.

If you want to share new theories here though, I'm all for it!

The Steinitz Underground lives! Cool

PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 9:21 pm
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TheDom
Boot


Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 15

 		Rob

Two quick thoughts.

First - maybe it is not a web site we are looking for, it could be a telephone number. We only went looking for a web site because the PM's had said we were missing one, that site ended up being the Leeds website. If I had to make a guess I would choose a web site first and telephone number second but boy have I been wrong before Very Happy

Second - CT's post yesterday
Quote:
Using the first two urn hunts as a pattern for the third was an obvious one that many pet theories proposed here ignored
As I see it, the clues for the second urn led to a red herring purse which then contained another clue that led to the prize, was the Leeds site that red herring (purse) and does the site contain the other clue. I think it does.

The Steinitz Underground lives!

PostPosted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 1:26 pm
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TheDom
Boot


Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 15
RobDixon wrote:
The question is, what are the chances that any of this will lead to a new site, with some kind of combination on it (which is one thing the rlebron site could have used, IMO)?

I think this is probably the greatest chance, a "vanilla folder" site with a link. This is what most people on the Forum believed that they would be seeing.
Quote:
There is one reason why the rlebron site might have been intentionally made inconclusive though: so they could keep people guessing and keep the game alive until Dec. 31st.
That is very true.

Also remember the site was "set-up" in Sep and if it had "Sharp" or MTS or anything on it like that there was a chance that someone may stumble on it or the search engines pick it up too early. The irony was that even if this had happened we still would have thought it a hoax because of it's content. "Urn is Here", DCS02270.jpeg etc too simple, unless what you are trying to do is divert someones attention away from the real answer. Which, of course is, an old magicians trick. Sounds familiar
Quote:
Peter 9/25
And then I remembered that, from time to time, Steinitz was a bit of a trickster. He even dabbled in magic as a kid. At that moment, I accidentally dripped some of my tea on the indigo desk blotter and an idea came to me. What if...?
So I deliberately spilled more tea and my hunch was right. Steinitz had used a simple trick to bury a clue. When the blotter was wet, a message appeared that read: HIDEOUS NERD THREATENS HOT. The more I learn about Steinitz, the more I admire him


The Steinitz Underground lives!

PostPosted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 2:46 pm
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TheDom
Boot


Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 15

 		Rob

Just doing some more thinking


Quote:
Steinitz Dental Partners
With over 20 affiliates around the world, including New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and our newest office in Lawrence, Kansas, you're never "out of range" of Steinitz Dental Partners. So call us today and begin maintaining...radio silence.


Area Code for Lawrence Kansas is 785.

The order on the Spectrocraniometer is 71/194/38. I am not certain if we should be looking at the on/off switches as to what order to use these numbers. (I would also like to point ot how important the 02270 was in the Leeds solution and that is why I have the feel that these other numbers are important in our solution.)

Just some preliminary work of reversing the numbers (remember it is a reverse phone lookup Very Happy ) (785) 834-9117 comes up with this
Quote:
The phone number "(785) 834-9117" is a Soldier, KS based phone number and the registered carrier is J.b.n. Telephone Co., Inc. However, due to number portability, some numbers have been transferred to a new service provider other than the registered carrier.
.

No I have not called that number as I trying to look at other combinations first.

Any thoughts?

The Steinitz Underground lives!

PostPosted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 6:35 pm
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mgs4real
Greenhorn

Joined: 26 Nov 2004
Posts: 5

 		TSUL !! I LOVE YOU GUYS !!
Laughing You KNOW I had trouble with TYAHAUD - but now I am an educated Steinitzian !

TSUL !! Sounds like a Greek god to me !!

Course, when you add "SPA" you get...

SPATSUL !!

Guess that means -- when you keep scraping up the leavings, you stand to get ALL the goood stuff, and that makes the very BEST gravy !!

SPATSUL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hehe

PostPosted: Sat Jan 22, 2005 5:25 pm
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